Nun battling Katy Perry dies in court

AN 89-YEAR-OLD nun who has been locked in a legal battle with singer Katy Perry over a Los Angeles convent as died in the middle of a hearing on the matter.

Sister Catherine Rose Holzman was one of two nuns who had tried to sell the convent to a restaurant owner named Dana Hollister for just $US44,000 ($56,000), instead of selling the building to Perry, who had offered almost $US15 million ($19 million) for it.

Perry joined forces with the archdiocese to successfully sue Ms Hollister, saying she had interfered in the sale and that the building was never the nuns' to sell.

On Friday, Sister Catherine pleaded with Perry to stop and that she was hurting a lot of people.

The Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary property in the Los Feliz area of Los Angeles. Picture: AP

"We asked (Ms Hollister) to save us, to buy the property,' Sister Catherine told Fox 11 LA just hours before her death. "She had nothing to do with forcing herself on us."

"And to Katy Perry, please stop. It's not doing anyone any good except hurting a lot of people," she said.

Ms Hollister, who wanted to turn the convent into a boutique hotel with the nuns' blessing, has now been forced to declare bankruptcy.

Perry was willing to pay $US10 million to the nuns in cash, plus an additional $US4.5 million for the home's House of Prayers.

In December a jury in LA awarded a total of $10 million in punitive damages to Perry and the Archdiocese of Los Angeles

Katy Perry is about to be seen with Lionel Richie Ryan Seacrest and Luke Bryan on American Idol. Picture: AP

The Archdiocese released a statement paying tribute to Sister Catherine.

"Sister Catherine Rose served the Church with dedication and love for many years and today we remember her life with gratitude. We extend our prayers today to the Immaculate Heart of Mary community and to all her friends and loved ones," it said.